Why has no one made a 90 ton mikado? I would switch from modeling the moder era if someone would make this model.
The Baldwin 50 to 90 ton Mikado was primarily a logging and light industrial locomotive and was also exported. Some went to Japan and other countries. Porter also got in the market. Folks tend to think of geared locomotives when they think of logging But there were quite a few 4-4-0s, 2-6-2s, and 2-8-2s used also along with small articulated types. There is a better chance of someone adapting a small steam body to a 2-8-2 mechanism than seeing one ever built. Probably the best bet is to get a Kato D-51 class steamer and Amercanize it.
Well said, John. There were many locomotives of the Skookum variety that served with distinction well into the late twentieth century. We get overwhelmed by the Big-Boys and Challengers, but lose sight of the "Baby" power that served admirably throughout our country.
Most main line 2-8-2's were about the size of a USRA light or bigger, very few loggers/industrial locos have been modeled. The main reason is the driver size. A USRA 2-8-2 had a 63 inch driver, and and McCould 18 an 19 are 90 tonners, have 48 inch drivers. It is a pure issue of making a good chassis with small gears and wheels.
A nice new model of any new mikado would be good. Especially a light one. Weren't Broadway considering this? I'm still sad that Bachmann never did the russian 2-10-0 they planned.
They claimed that they didn't have a motor narrow enough, I think that it was probably an engineering problem
In the last decade that has become a mute issue since I am running motive power with very small motors.
My old Rapido 0-6-0 was still the best N steam engine I ever owned. Ran like a top, thousands of laps. There was even a pilot from MicroTrains to turn it into a 2-6-0. Get this, the motor was in the engine, not the tender! This was all back in 1970...
Agreed on all counts Tony -- Rapido's 0-6-0 has held a cherished spot in my heart for 50 Years. I once had it converted to a 2-6-0 with the Kadee/Micro-Trains kit. Mine is pictured below.
Long ago, Fleischmann made some N Scale steam with the motor and drive wheels in the tender, leaving the free-wheeling locomotive to be scaled appropriately as needed. Surprisingly, it all worked pretty well. Key produced an N Scale GN 4-6-2 H4 which was engineered using the same basis and it ran well too.
The last really 'new concept' SMALL steam locomotive was the Atlas/MicroAce 4-4-0, that wasn't a derivative or new-issue of something before it. That really started with a pretty clean design slate on a really small locomotive. http://www.spookshow.net/loco/atlas440.html The one I have is an excellent performer, even if I've had to repair the whistle, flag posts, handrail stanchions..... But in terms of mechanism design, the lower gearing, can motor in tender, pickup design, all good. So this isn't a design problem, it's a demand problem. Why? Because they're not sure of demand, tooling costs, some rather incredible backlogs at Chinese production facilities, price increases.... etc., etc. If you want to see how messed up things generally are, check out https://shop.atlasrr.com/t-ordership.aspx and the spread between announced and shipping in years. You need a 2-3 year crystal ball, basically. Considering how difficult this has become, I'm glad there's new product in N of about anything. Don't forget, the Atlas 2-6-0 was a MicroAce narrow-gauge Porter for 1:150, it was exported to the US market after it was a hit for MicroAce. Given the fact that the Japanese N market drives more than the US market, it's a pretty good idea to keep an eye out on what's going on there, because periodically they decide to do some US-stuff (like the 2-6-0) that helps us out. That relationship made the 4-4-0 feasible. And I've had people in Kato tell me that US prototype still sells more for the domestic Japanese market than US, which explains the 'whole train at a time' production for the Japanese collectors of US prototype, western railroad bias, and a lot of other stuff that doesn't necessarily focus on the US market the way you would think. Japanese steam is typically smaller than US steam, for instance, that Atlas/MicroAce 2-6-0 has 48" drivers. And the chassis is very good, even better if you relocate the motor into a tender with a gearhead. Considering the motors and gearheads out there, that's not the problem. It's not only N, it's Z. In case you aren't paying attention, the Z world has had a tremendous boost with Rokuhan to the mass market in Japan. Very good quality, low prices, stuff actually works. And pretty much ignoring the US market entirely.
Speaking of 2-10-0's they are really non existent in N scale. Unless my memory is failing me which it is more and more prone to do these days, I can't think of any other than the Minitrix model of a German prototype. People were hoping Bachmann would follow up their 2-8-0 with a 2-10-0 but it never happened. At least not yet.
I'm still waiting on Bachmann to make a tender for their 4-6-0 (another small engine that is BADLY needed in N scale). They come out with an engine that obviously has the wrong OVERSIZED tender and follows 1900's design instead of something a bit more modern looking. Someone please design a Harriman boiler that can be 3d printed for this engine (along with a more appropriate tender).
Do you think adding a Bachmann Prairie or Consolidation shell to a Kato D-51 class chassis would work? How about adding trailing trucks to a Consolidation, or are the drivers too big on the Consolidation?
The D51has a 55 inch driver, and the Kato model is 1:150, or 51.6 inches in 1:160. The Bachmann 2-8-0 has a 63 inch driver....
